The present invention generally relates to compositions, product kits, devices and processes for removing using sonic or ultrasonic waves.
Ultrasonic cleaning is a well known cleaning process in industry. For example, it is used to clean electronic components after or during immersion in cleaning solution such as azeotropic mixtures of flurohydrocarbons. It is also used domestically to a small extent in oral hygiene, as in ultrasonic tooth brushes. However, ultrasonic cleaning has not found much acceptance domestically beyond this limited application.
While ultrasonics do give good cleaning in these limited applications there has been no truly breakthrough cleaning performance from the combination of ultrasonic or sonic energy with conventional cleaning additives. Many and varied combinations have been tried resulting in either insignificant cleaning benefits or additional problems which make any benefits impracticable.
Accordingly there remains in the art the search for a cleaning ingredient or ingredients which will provide surprisingly and unexpected superior cleaning when used in conjunction with ultrasonic or sonic energy.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,464,477, 5,529,788, 4,308,229, 4,448,750; WO 94/07989, WO 97/16263, WO 94/23852, WO 93/06947; GB 2,204,321; EP 258,819; DE 4,100,682; JP 10036892, JP 08157888.
It has now been surprisingly found that certain specific ingredient or ingredients which will provide surprisingly and unexpected superior cleaning when used in conjunction with ultrasonic or sonic energy. These cleaning ingredients are called ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agents and are selected from bleach catalysts, amylase enzymes and mixtures thereof.
The present invention also includes ultrasonic cleaning products which comprise:
(a) a cleaning composition comprising an ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent selected from the group consisting of amylase enzyme, bleach catalyst and mixtures thereof; and
(b) a sonic or ultrasonic wave generating source for imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves.
The present invention also comprises a process for removing tough food from a hard surface comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an effective amount of a cleaning composition to said tough food on said hard surface, said cleaning composition comprises an ultrasonically enhanced cleaning agent selected from the group consisting of amylase enzyme, bleach catalyst and mixtures thereof; and
(ii) imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to said tough food so as to remove said tough food from said hard surface.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cultrasonic wavesxe2x80x9d means mechanical pressure or stress waves which can propagate through any material media, wherein the frequency spectra of these waves can vary from a few cycles/second (Hz) to a few billion Hz.
All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.